Rotary steel-ball-forging machine.



Patented not. 3|, |899.

2 Shets-Sheet l,

C. C. HILL.

(Application led Apr. 30, 1898.)

ROTARY STEEL BALL FBGING MAQHINE.

(No Model.)

Hw N

No. 635,776. Patented oct. 3|, |899.

c. c. HILL.

ROTARY STEELABALL FORGING MACHINE.

(Application l 2 Sheets Sheet 2.

(No M'odel.)

,1f/s TToR/VEYS,

.Y UNiTnD STAT-Es PATENT FFIC'E@ CHRISTIAN C. HILL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE STEEL BALL COMPANY, OF KENOSI'IA, WISCONSIN..

ROTARY STEEL-BALLFORGING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,776, dated October 31, 1899.

Application filed April 30, 1898. Serial No. 679,320. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN C. HILL, a

citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rotary Steel-Ball-Forging Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for manufacturing steel balls for ball-bearings.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine of a simple and durable construction by means of which cylindrical ball-blanks (preferably having tapering, rounded, or pointed ends) may be rapidly, cheaply, and perfectly formed by a combined forging, hammering, and rolling action when in a heated condition into spherical or ball shape.

To this end the machine embodying my invention comprises, in combination, a grooved shoe and a grooved roll, the shoe and roll, one or both, preferably both, having at intervals pockets or enlargements in the groove, in which the blanks lit, so that at intervals the grip of the roll and shoe upon the blank Will be loosened, thus permitting the blank to successively andl frequently change its plane of rotation as it passes in its course between the grooved shoe and the grooved roll. The pockets or enlargements in the groove of the shoe and roll are preferably arranged diagonally or at an angle to the circumference, so that as the enlargement on the roll meets the enlargement on the shoe the blank will be loosened and turned into a new position as the enlargement on the roll passes the enlargement on the shoe and so that the grooved roll provided with the series of enlargements will tend to give the blanks between the roll and shoe a series of slight hammering or glancing blows, thus tending to facilitate the combined forging and rolling operation.

The invention further consists in a series of rolls and shoes, preferably three, placed one above another, the shoes being on alternate sides of the adjacent roll, so that the balls are delivered from the shoe and roll above to the shoe and roll below, the semicircular grooves in each succeeding shoe and roll beingslightly smaller or of graduated size to produce a gradual reduction of the blanks.

My invention also consists in the novel construction of parts and devices and in the novel combination of parts and devices herein shown and described, and more particularly specified hereinafter in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure l is an end 6o elevation, and Fig. 2 a side elevation, of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 3is an enlarged vertical section centrally through the grooves in the shoe and roll. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on line 4. 4 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 65 is a cross-section through the shoe and roll, taken at the enlargement in the groove when the enlargement in the roll registers with the enlargement in the shoe.

In said drawings, A represents the frame 7o of the machine. B B' B2 are a series of rolls secured to the shafts C C' C2, and D D' D2 are the shoes cooperating with said rolls7 the shoe D being on the opposite side of the roll B from the shoes of the adjacent rolls. Each of the rolls B B B2 is provided with an annular groove l) in its periphery, the same being substantially semicircular in cross-section. Each of the shoes D D D2 is likewise provided with a corresponding groove d, semicircular 8o in cross-section. The annular semicircular groove b in each of the rolls B B B2 is provided with a series of pockets or enlargements b', the length of these enlargements being preferably slightly in excess of the ball being operated upon and the depth of the enlargements being preferably about one-fiftieth of an inch vor such matter, just sufficient to cause the grip of the shoe and roll on the blank to be released at the instant when the enlargement 9o b in the roll passes the similar enlargement d in the shoe, thus enabling the ball-blank to change its position and assume a new axis of rotation. Each of the shoes D D' Dzhave a series of enlargements d corresponding to the enlargements o' on the rolls. The enlargements Z9' and d are preferably arranged at an angle to the circumference, about as indicated in the drawings.v The end or point d2 of each succeeding shoe iits against the roo periphery of the roll above, as Will be clearly understood from Figs. 1 and '3, so that the balls or ball-blanks will be delivered auto matically from the roll and shoe above to the roll and shoebelow.

E is the feed-hopper, into which the heated ball-blanks are placed loosely in bulk and by which they are delivered or fed to the rst roll or upper roll and shoe.

F is the discharge-hopper, from which the finished or forged balls are delivered from my rotary ball-forging machine.

Each of the-shoes D D D2 is adjustably fixed in position to properly cooperate with its grooved roll by adj usting-screws G, which pass through the concave part A of the frame, and by screws G2, which clamp the shoe against the clamp-plate G2, which is fixed to the frame by screws or bolts g.

H H are the fast and loose driving-pulleys, H2 the balance-wheel, and 7L 7i h2 gears connecting the shafts C U C2 of the rolls B B B2.

I claiml. In a steel-ballforging machine for forming steel-ball blanks or slugs into approximate spherical or ball shape by a combined forging, hammering and rolling action on said blanks when in a heated condition,the combination of a curved shoe having a groove on its concave face with a rotating roll having a groove on its outer periphery registering; with the groove on said shoe, said shoe and roll,one or both,having its groove furnished with pockets or enlargements at intervals, the walls or shoulders formed by which pockets or enlargements serving to give the blanks between the rotating roll and shoe a series of slight hammering or glancing blows to facilitate the combined forging, hammering and rolling action of the shoe and roll upon the blanks, said pockets or enlargements also enabling the blanks to change their'plane of rotation while passing between the shoe and roll, substantially as specified.

2. In a rotary steel-ball-forging machine, the combination of a grooved shoe with a grooved roll, said shoe and roll one or both having its groove furnished with pockets or enlargements at intervals, said pockets or enlargements being at an angle to the circumference, substantially as specified.

3. In a steel-ball-forging machine for forming steel-ball blanks or slugs into approximate spherical or ball shape bya combined forging, hammering and rolling action on said blanks when in a heated condition, the combination of a curved shoe having a groove on its concave face furnished with pockets or enlargements at intervals with a coperating cylindrical roll having a groove on its outer periphery registering with the groove on said shoe furnished with pockets or enlargements at intervals, the walls or shoulders formed by said pockets or enlargements on the roll and shoe serving to give the blanks between the rotating roll and shoe a series of slight hammering or glancing blows to facilitate the combined forging, hammering and rolling action of the shoe and roll upon the blanks, said pockets or enlargements also enabling the blanks to change their plane of rotation while passing between the shoe and roll, substantially as specified.

4. In a steel-ball-forging machine for form ing steel-ball blanks or slugs into approximate spherical or ball shape by a combined forging, hammering and rolling action on said blanks when in a heated condition, the combination with a series of curved shoes having each a groove on its concave face, with a series of rotating rolls having each a groove on its outer periphery registering with the groove on its cooperating shoe, said shoes and rolls, one or both, having their grooves furnished with pockets or enlargements at intervals, the walls or shoulders formed by which pockets or enlargements serving to give the blanks between the rotating rolls and shoes a series of slight hammering or glancing blows to facilitate the combined forging, hammering and rolling action of the shoes and rolls upon the blanks, said pockets or enlargements also enabling the blanks to change their plane of rotation while passing between the shoes and rolls, substantially as specified.

5. In a steel-ball-forging machine for forming steel-ball blanks or slu gs into approximate spherical or ball shape by a combined forging, hammering and rolling action on said blanks when in a heated condition, the combination with a series of curved shoes having each a groove on its concave face, with a series of rotating rolls having each a groove on its outer periphery registering with the groove on its cooperating shoe, said shoes and rolls, one or both, having their grooves furnished with pockets or enlargements at intervals, the wallsor shoulders formed by which pockets or enlargements serving to give the blanks between the rotating rolls and shoes a series of slight hammering or glancing blows to facilitate the combined, forging, hammering and rolling action of the shoes and rolls upon the blanks, said pockets or enlargements also enabling the blanks to change their plane of rotation while passing between the shoes and rolls, said shoes being arranged alternately on opposite sides of adjacent rolls, a frame on which said rolls are mounted provided with a series of curved segments A', and adjusting-screws passing through said segments A and bearing against the backs ot' said shoes to hold the same in position against the periphery of the rolls, substantially as specified.

G. In a steel-ball-forging machine for forming steel-ball blanks or slugs into approximate spherical orballshape by a combined forging, hammering a-nd rolling action on said blanks when in a heated condition, the combination with a series of curved shoes having each a groove on its concave face, with a series of rotating rolls having each a groove on its outer periphery registering with the groove on its coperating shoe, said shoes and rolls, one or both, having their grooves furnished with pockets or enlargements at intervals,the walls IOO or shoulders formed by which pockets or ensaid rolls are mounted provided with a series of curved segments A', and adjusting-screws passing through said segments A and bearing against the backs of said shoes to hold the same in position against the periphery of the rolls, the grooves in succeeding rolls and shoes being smaller or graduated in size to produce a gradual reduction, substantially as specified.

7. In a steel-ball-forging machine for forming steel-ball blanks or slugs into approximate spherical or ball shape by a combined forging, hammering and rolling action on said blanks when in a heated condition, the combination with a series of curved shoes having each a groove on its concave face, with a series of rotating rolls having each a groove on its outer periphery registering with the groove on its coperating shoe, said shoes and rolls, one or both, having their1 grooves furnished with pockets or enlargements at intervals,the walls or shoulders formed by which pockets or enlargements serving to give the blanks between the rotating rolls and shoes a series of slight hammering or glancing blows to facilitate the combined forging, hammering and rolling action of the shoes and rolls upon the blanks, said pockets or enlargements also enabling the blanks to change their plane of rotation while passing between the shoes and rolls, said shoes being arranged alternately on opposite sides of adjacent rolls, substantially as specified. l

8. In a steel-ball-forging machine for forming steeleball blanks or slugs into approximate spherical or ball shape bya combined forging, hammering and rolling action on said blanks when in a heated condition, the combination of a curved shoe having a groove on its concave face with a rotating roll having a groove on its outer periphery registering with the groove on said shoe, said shoe and roll, one or both,having its groove furnished with pockets or enlargements at intervals, the walls or shoulders formed by which pockets or enlargements serving to give the blanks between the rotating roll and shoe a series of slight hammering or glancing blows to facilitate the combined forging, hammering and rolling action of the shoe and roll upon the blanks, said pockets or enlargements also enabling the blanks to change their plane of rotation while passing between the shoe and roll, and a feedhopper, substantially as specified.

9. In a steel-ball-forging machine for forming steel--ball blanks or slugs into approximate spherical or ball shape by a combined forging, hammering and rolling action on said blanks when in a heated condition, the combination with a series of curved shoes having each a groove on its concave face, with a series of rotating rolls having each a groove on its outer periphery registering with the groove on its cooperating shoe, said shoes and rolls, one or both, having their grooves furnished with pockets or enlargements at intervals, the walls or shoulders formed by which pockets or enlargements serving to give the blanks between the rotating rolls and shoes a series of slight hammering or glancing blows to facilitate the combined forging, hammering and rolling action of the shoes and rolls upon the blanks, said pockets or enlargements also enabling the blanks to change their plane of rotation while passing between the shoes and rolls, and a feed hopper, substantially as specied.

l0. In a steelball-forging machine for forming steel-ball blanks or slugs into approximate spherical or ball shape by a combined forging, hammering and rolling action on said blanks when in a heated condition, the combination with a series of curved shoes having each a groove on its concave face,- with a series of rotating rolls having each a groove on its outer periphery registering with the groove on its cooperating shoe, said shoes and rolls, one or both, having their grooves furnished with pockets or enlargements at intervals, the walls or shoulders formed by which pockets or enlargements serving to give the blanks between the rotating rolls and shoes a series of slight hammering or glancing blows to facilitate the combined forging, hammering and rolling action of the shoes and rolls upon the blanks, said pockets or enlargements also enabling the blanks to change their plane of rotation while passing between the shoes and rolls, said shoes being arranged alternately on opposite sides of adjacent rolls, and a feed-hopper, substantially as specified.

CHRISTIAN C. HILL.

Witnesses:

EDMUND Ancock, H. M. MUNDAY.

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